Veteran actress Angela Lansbury exclusively told TEN that her late husband was the driving force behind her successful career and said she will be forever grateful to him.
The 90-year-old, who is best known for her role as Jessica Fletcher in the longest running detective series in TV history, Murder She Wrote, said her 75 year career is down to the support she received from her second husband, Peter Shaw.
"I never stop to think about myself. What has been very important to me is trying to balance my life - between family and career. If I'd had my way I wouldn't have done half the things that I did which took me away from my family," Lansbury told TEN.
"My husband was the one who said 'Do it. Go. Do it. Take the children with you, we'll manage. I will see that everything will be alright at home. Don't worry. Go ahead and do it'.
"That really was the tremendous drive that was provided for me by him. He was a huge help to me. I'm ever grateful to him for that because otherwise I would have stayed at home. I really would. I was a big homebody."
Lansbury married Peter Shaw in 1949
Lansbury, who recently received a lifetime achievement award at the Audi Dublin International Film Festival, said that her success is also down to her "emotional make up".
"I think it has a lot to do with one's emotional make up as an individual. We are all different and react differently to things and places. I'm a very emotional person and if you have that quality and you're half Irish, it will take you sailing through, believe me," she said.
Lansbury was presented with the Festival Tribute Award, officially known at the Volta Award, by Taoiseach, Enda Kenny
Lansbury is an Irish citizen and moved from the US to Ireland in the 1970s. Up until recently she lived outside the town of Ballycotton, Co. Cork and has plans to come back and visit her second home this summer.
Over her remarkable career the actress and singer has appeared in over 60 movies, as well as receiving an Honorary Oscar. She has also garnered five Tony Awards, six Golden Globes and an Olivier Award, and Lansbury admits that she has a project she wants to commit to.
Angela Lansbury in 1955
"I have a project that I would like to do and if we can put it together I will probably do it in New York because I have a flat there, which is very convenient. The family home is in Los Angeles because that is where we set up the house where I did Murder She Wrote and we've always maintained that," she added.
Click the link to watch TEN's full interview with Angela Lansbury.
